MDCC SEPT 2001 NEWSLETTER |
Our first season has come to an end, with the new club in good shape. The 1s came to very close to promotion, the 2s hung on in the division below and the 3s should be on a high after a relegation fightback that was only foiled by the weather. The way the two old clubs’ players have gelled has been superb, with team spirit excellent throughout the teams. Our youth policy in particular has showed real dividends this season.
This newsletter is likely to be the last in its current format. With increased use of the web-site (www.murrayfield-dafscc.co.uk), only a few of you are relying on the paper version for club information. At the AGM - on Wednesday 10 October at the Murrayfield Hotel at 7.30pm - a decision will be taken on its future. So please be there to make your views known on this and a number of other important issues. Please ask Eddie Clark for a copy of the agenda.
PHIL ROGERS
Well, the nights are drawing in and the League season is over. It has been an interesting one and if you had said that all three teams would have something to play for at the start of play on the last Saturday of the season then I, for one, would not have believed that. However, that is what actually happened.
They might just have missed out on promotion but they had a good season even if the end was disappointing on an interesting wicket at Grangemouth. In truth, a third place finish is a good result and congratulations are due to both Darryn and Andy for their organisation on and off the field.
On the batting front two batsmen finished in the top five in the Division Three - both Andy Knight and Murdo McLeod scored consistently and in Murdo's case, given his finger injury sustained a couple of years ago, it was a great effort. On the bowling front, there were also two players in the top five - Richard Sorrell and Norman Allan. Norman finished as top wicket taker in the Division - that was a great effort.
It was a long hard season for Tom Hothersall and Phil Rogers. After a difficult start, the batting failed on several occasions, making relegation a real possibility. However wins against Largo (eventually promoted) and Heriots 3rds saw enough points collected to avoid the drop. Tom and Phil had an incredible number of problems with call offs and injuries but they battled through and I hope that we will have learnt from the experience. Top innings came from Brian Marshall who scored 99 whilst Andrew Lacey turned out to be a revelation behind the timbers.
If the thirds had played the way they did in the second half of the season for the whole season, then relegation would not have been an issue. Unfortunately, the weather put paid to two games that could have been won at the start and end of the season and that was that. There have been a lot of good things coming out of the thirds over the season. The promise of both Fraser MacDonald and Lawrence West should see them challenging for 2nd team places next season whilst Andy Piggott put in some good bowling performances in the second half of the season in particular.
The AGM is not far away and there are a number of issues which we need to consider very carefully, some of which have been mentioned in the Newsletter or on the Web Site and I list them in no particular order.
This season has been unusual in that we have found ourselves with too many players for places on a Saturday which has given rise to the question of whether we should consider running a 4th Saturday team. The Recruitment Committee will, again, have an important job over the winter, as we will need to recruit new players at all levels. I believe that it is too early to look at a fourth Saturday XI and that it would, at this stage put too much pressure on the club infrastructure. We need to build and I think a team playing six to eight Sunday games next year is the way to go with a 4ths a possibility in 2003. What do you think?
The thirds return to Roseburn has been a great success this season and full marks to the Council for getting the square playable after the flooding problems of 2000. However, just when things are improving, the next problem comes along.
You will be interested in Iain Martin's report on the meeting with the Council and Edinburgh Leisure, where there is a suggestion that the cost of hiring Roseburn could rise by over 33%. I find this remarkable as, when I raised this issue at a meeting at the end of July, I was assured that this was highly unlikely. Frankly, the rationale behind the thinking of Edinburgh Leisure is not joined up but it does, again, pose a question. Should we talk to the CSSA about another artificial at Muirhouse? It may be a non-runner but we could get priced out of using Roseburn and I fear it would be the death knell for clubs smaller than us.
There will be winter nets at the Ravelston Indoor Academy, but the question I want to pose relates to the summer. This year, the nets at Roseburn restarted and, despite a hiccup over keys, seem to have been a success. However, we cannot expect to pay nothing for their use and Edinburgh Leisure indicated they were open to discussion. There could be various ways to pay from an agreed weekly rate to a single payment to cover the season leaving us to use the nets as often as we like. However, what might their view on charging be now? Is Muirhouse an alternative?
Having played in the thirds, watched the firsts and seconds on occasion and played with a number of different players in the President's game, I am convinced that as a club we are on the right lines. The question as to how we build and progress is down to each member. Please come to the AGM and express your views. If you have any items for the Agenda, please contact Eddie Clark. If you haven't paid your subscription then contact Gordon Dalyell - no pay; no vote. See you soon.
PHIL YELLAND - President
Web Ed note- Phil also included the President's Game match report in the paper copy of this Newsletter. It is of course already in and amongst the match reports already on our site. You know where to find it kids....
Last night (3 September) I went to the season debrief meeting with Edinburgh Leisure at Meadowbank Stadium. A brief note of the meeting is below.
From Edinburgh Leisure (EL) Shirley Bowman and Ian Park attended.
Others present included:Roddy Gibson, Andy Piggott, Norman Berger, Bill Polson (Mitre), David Williamson (Maccabi & Public Parks Association), Scott Miller (Scottish Widows)
Ian Park presented the following facilities report:
Sep/Oct - mosskiller and spiking followed by top dressing (1.5 tones per square) although there seemed to be a problem in securing this due to budgets etc etc etc...and finally fertilizing. Squares will then be "protected". Basically £300-400 will be spent on each square. Work begins at Roseburn and Union Park first!!
Bad weather - in extreme cases, pitches will be inspected at 10AM on a Friday and a decision made then to declare them unfit.(This only happened once last season - EL will attempt to inform officials of affected clubs and the East League will provide EL with an updated contact list.)
Pitches EL could provide a designated pitch if required if they are informed by the Wednesday before a Sat game. Roddy thought that using a pitch rotation system would be better and will be forwarding a document on this to EL.
Short notice games - eg Cup games - you MUST allow for 10 days notice in advance to EL for a grass pitch to be prepared - EL and contractors would do their best though to say 7 days notice for cup schedules could be followed.
Ian Park was very honest in his reporting and we felt very positive about all his reports....
At this point Shirley Bowman took over to talk about charges for 2002 and this is when the messy stuff hit the fan....
EL is currently losing money on cricket due to staff costs (ie the parkie).
The proposal for 2002 therefore is that a charge of £40 + £10 per hour for every hour after 5pm. This would make a full distance game (+showering getting changed loading up equipment etc)at Roseburn cost about £70 - almost double this season charge. All those present let Shirley know very forcibly that clubs would not accept this level of charge and that numerous 3rd/2nd teams could not raise that kind of money especially as these teams contained a number of youngsters.
Suggestions (one idea was to do away with the parkie and "employ" a club member to do the job) were given to Shirley and she will look at these and report back to her bosses. EL should report to us before the East League AGM.
Suitably depressed at this charging proposal, the MDAFs contingent filled our pockets with the freebie biscuits and departed to the pub. The above points are worthy of discussion and I would be happy to co-ordinate any feedback you may have for the MDAFs AGM - coming soon.
I am now on the East League committee assisting East League President Roddy Gibson with public relations. This now means there are two Murrayfield-DAFS members on the committee! (Andy Piggott being the league rep for divisions 7,8,9.)
The first event I will be working on is the East League annual dinner to be held this year at Stewarts Melville club house on Friday 5 October. Further details will be revealed soon but the night will feature the season awards, a guest speaker and raffle. Of course plenty of alcohol and grub will be on offer.
For tickets please get in touch with me.
Iain Martin
Back to ContentsThe "paper" newsletter has a number of match reports- these are of course reproduced at the Match Report section of the Website (I ain't tagging them up all over again!!!)- there are a couple of new (as in long outstanding!!) ones- these are tagged as "new" funnily enough. Click on the following Link to Match Reports.
Similarily, a Club Season 2001 averages are contained in the Statistics section of the Site. These now contain the 2nd Team averages. Click on this link Stats to access them. Final table positions can be found on the ESCA site - click here!
WEBBY-ED
The middle-order batsman trudged dejectedly towards the pavilion. As he reached the boundary his team-mate came striding out, swishing his bat in the air, twirling his arms, adjusting his cap and smirking with indecent smugness.
"Oh dear", he chuckled as he practised a flamboyant-looking cover drive. "Shame you couldn’t have stayed in longer. Out first ball, eh? Pity."
"Yeah", muttered the other batsman. "Especially being in the middle of a hat-trick."
EDDIE CLARK
Still smarting from the newsletter’s unveiling of his own look-alike, Tony Simpson has spotted team-mate Chris ‘Monty’ West’s double. ‘On the Buses’ has even suggested the caption.
"West not amused by Piggott’s lbw decision" (piccy to follow...)
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Web ed note- more celebrity look-a-likes of our heroes to follow over the winter months to keep you all amused
Mufs members may wish to note the following communication received from the SCU
An ECB Level I Course has been arranged at the National Cricket Academy, The Mary Erskine School, Edinburgh.
Details:-
Dates - Monday 8, 15, 22, 29 October and 5, 12, 19 November 2001
Times - 6.00pm - 9.00pm
Equipment Required - Cricket Bat
Clothing - Cricket Whites
Cost - £50
Tutor - tbc
As a guide the following forms the requirements/tuition of the course:
If you, or any of your club members are interested in attending the above course please contact the Scottish Cricket Union Tel: 0131 313 7420. Cheques should be made payable to Scottish Cricket Union.
Places on the course are limited, please apply early to avoid disappointment
Peter Steindl- SCU Cricket Development Officer
Minutes to follow (when electronic version retrieved)...I ain't typing up a set...
Scottish Cricket's governing body, Scottish Cricket Limited has appointed its first Chief Executive Officer. He is Gwynne (sounds like a girlie name that- web-ed) Jones (56) presently Director of Zimbabwe's National Cricket Academy. Mr Jones takes up his position on 1 October 2001.
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